Aeroplane.



R. ESNAULT-PBLTERIB.

AEROPLANB. l APPLICATION FILED JULY 14,1909.

,1,024,929,11 Patented Api. 30, 1912.

z SHEETS-SHEET 1.

R. ESNAULT-PELTERIE.

AEROPLNB.'

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14,1909.

` Patented Apr. 30, 191.2.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z 1&o24,929.

. UNITED sTATEs 4PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT ESNAULT-PELTERIE, F BILLANCOURT, FRANCE.

` AEROPLANE;

To all whom z't mag/concern Be it known that I, ROBERT EsNAUL'r-IEL- TERIE, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing in Billancourt, Seine, France, have 5 invented certain new and useful Improve'- ments in Aeroplanes, of which the followingis a specification. This invention rel tes to an'aeroplane in which the sustaining planes are adapted to be bentI for varying their sustaining power.

As is known, the sustaining power must vary in accordance with the speed of travel of t-he aeroplane vand in such a manner that the machine. may remain at the samelevel in the air or may ascend or descend.

By combining in an aeroplane the viaria- 't-ion of the sustainingpower with the variation of the tractive or propelling force of the machinery the level .ofV travel can be f changed and 'the speed modified, that lis to say, the maneuvering powers of the aero.- plane are augmented.

One of the simplest means/for Varying the sustaining power of the planes is to vary i their incidence by .causing them to turn around horizontal transverse axes en which they are mounte'd.- I have already indicated how this may be done in the case of rigid planes; but the principle may also/be applied to flexible planes in order to utilize vatthe same time the bending oftheplanes which occurs as a necessity. t

With reference to the accompanying drawings there aie described different 35.1 ueans --for obtaining the variationfof the sustaining power of `the exible planes in accordance with this invention.

Figure 1 is a' diagrammatic perspective viewof an aeroplane and means for fiexing 440 the same. Figs. 2 .and 3 are respectively side and end views ofa detail of the flexing means shown in Fig. l. Fig. 4 is an illusl tration of a modification of the construction illustrated in Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a viev of a detail of the flexing mechanism illustrated iii Fig. 4. Fig. 6 illustrates amodificationof the supporting'surface illustrated in Fig. ,1 Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic perspective view of my'coniplete flying machine. Figs.

. 8'y and v9v are respectively a perspective and "a cross section view of a det-ail of a modified form of flexing means.

On Fig. 1 is a .diagrammatic perspective view of a flexible plane (L a articulated toa chassis at the ymiddle'of the machine. The

shrouds c, which are attached to the wings Specification of Letters Patent. Application led July 14, 1909. Serial No. 507,576.

` superposed or not.

4near the outer extremities of the. latter, are

connected with the vertical rod d placed at the middle under the wings, through a short bar e, pivoted in a fork at. the lower end of the rod d. rlhe latter can be turned on its vertical axis so as to bend or warp the wings reversely as hereinafter described Patented A1512 3o, 1912.

when this'is desirable; on the other hand by turning the bar c, represented in side .view and end View respectivelyin Figs. 2

and 3, on its pivot g in such a manner asv to has just been described is also applicable to multi-plane machines whether the planes are The arrangement shown diagrammatically in end view in Fig. 4 vis for the purpose of convert-ing the plane moreor less into a dihedron so as to reduce the bearing surface of the wings'. if desired. It consists in attaching the lower .ends of the shrouds to a piece c', represented in side view and in` plan'respectively in Fig. 5, sliding. on the vertical rod d situated beneath the wings. vBy sliding the piece z' upor down the rod, the desired dihedral form can be given to the plane. a

Fig; 6 shows diagrammatioally a pair of wings each having an eXtreme portion c forming a shutter, which can be rendered*` of no eEect' by sliding i on the main part Z. i On the right hand side of Fig. 6 is.-

shown a wing with the shutter extended while on the lefthand side the shutter is withdrawn. In thisl manner the bearing lsurface of the wing can be increased or diininishedaccording to the speed with which the aeroplane travels.

Fig. f( shows diagrammat-ically an aeroplane constructed according to this invention.

which is not providedwith a rudder; atrthe rear is a fixed tail consisting of two planes intersecting each other at right angles, one plane being normally vertical and the other horizontal,

At the forward part of the cigar shaped bodyatare attached the two flexible wings b b1; at the rear part are fixed the intersecting planes, the vert-ical plane being. marked c1 and -the horiz'ontal plane d1. Beneath the body is' a vertical surface e1 pla ing the part of a keel to give transverse sta ilit-y.

The apparatus operates as follows z-It vmay be'supposed that in order to reestablish transvers equilibrium the wings b1 are bent in such a manner as to 'li-ft the forward part of the left Wing and to depress the forward part of the right wing. This causes the aeroplane to be retarded on the left, which in consequence ot the greater resistance ofduring the stabilizing operation. To turn` the machine about, the side to which it 1s to.

be turned is first inclined, and for this purpose, for example if the turn is to be to the right, there is produced suddenly an incl-4 'dence on the opposite'side by bending the wings so as to have a sustaining com onent greater on the right hand than 0n t e' left.

hand.v The apparatus then inclines' toward Y the left, turningr slightly vtoward the right.

By bringing back the wings to theirnormal position the apparatus tends to continue in a straight line but as it is inclined to the left the horizontal component of the sustension makes it deviate by causingit to turn sidewise; the left wing then having less lspeed than the right Wing should also be bent to augment its incidence and to prevent the apparatus from completely turning over toward the center of the circle described.

From this moment the bendin must be the inverse of the preceding bending for executin the turn; then when the turning is comp ete the bending is exaggerated in the same direction and the machine is righted `and continues its path in'a straight line. To

facilitate ascentor'descent'of the machine the horizontal plane oftherear intersecting plane may be made to-turn about a transverse horizontal axis; this plane then acts as a rudder for varying the depthof travel in the air. A separate rudder for this purpose may be arranged at the rear of the machine, or there may be one at each end.

Another manner to produce separately or simultaneously the bending of the win and the variation of incidence will now de scribed. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the bearing to which the shrouds'are attached, Fig. 9 is a section thereof. This bearing is composed of a socket A fixed to a hollow rod B which can turn on a ball bearing a2 and is guided through a projection b2. Inside of this socket A is an axis'C which is rotated in this socketi with ball bearings 0"; the axis carries at one end a double arm D fixed thereon accurately for example by means of the nut (Z2. The other end of t-he axis C carries also a second arm D1 parallel and similar to the former; both these arms D and D1 are movedvby a lever E actuated by a rod F. On each double arm D or D1 and at each extremity is attached one of the four wires or shrouds X and X1 which produce the bending or deformation of the carryin surfaces or wings. The left front shroud and the left back onc`X1 are attached, the former to the superior extremity of the arm D the second one to the inferior extremity of the arm D1; also the other shrouds of the right side, X and X1, are reversed.' It results thereof that, when the aviator turns the rod B to the left, the right shroud X1 -and the left shroud X will be put in tension 'By eombiningthe rotation ofthe rod F and the rotation of the lever E, it is possible to `cause simultaneously the reverse bending and the variation of incidence and thus the restoration of the longitudinal and t-ransverse equilibrium of the-aeroplane. 4

. Having thus described my invention and the best me'ans I knovv of carrying the same into practical effect, I claim:

l. In an aeroplane, the combination of a supporting surface and means for varying the incidence of said supporting surface simultaneously on beth sides of the longitudinal axis thereof or varying lthe incldence thereof on one side of said axis relatively to that on the other side, said means comprising a rotatively mounted rod and a cross piece rotatively mounted onsaid rod, and connections between the ends of said cross piece and said supporting surface, movement of said rod operating to vary the v incidence of said su porting surface on one side of its longitu inal axis relatively tov that on the other, and separate movement of said cross piece operating to varythe incidence of said su porting surface simultaneously on both si es of said axis.

2, In an aero lane, the combination of a supporting sur ace and means for varying the incidenceof said supporting surface simultaneously on both sides of the longitudinal axis thereof or varyin thel incidence .thereof on one side of sai tively to that on the other side, said means comprising a rotatively mounted rod, havaxis relaing a cross arinnpon one end and cross pieces pivotally mounted on the ends of said cross-arm, andv connections between said supporting surface and the ends of said cross-pieces, `movement of said rod operating to ilary the incidence of said supporting,- surface on one side of its longitudinal axis relatively to that ontheethei',l and separate movement of'` saidcro'sspiece operating to vary the incidence of said supporting' snrtace simultaneously on both sides of said axis.

3. ln anaeroplane, the combination of a supporting surface 4and means located in the medial plane ofthe aeroplane and beneath v the supporting surface for varying' the ineidenc'e of said supporting surface simultaneously on both sides of the longitudinal 7 axis thereof or Varying the incidence thereof on one side of said axis relatively to that on t/l/ie other 3side, said means coinprisingr a pailhaving rotary movement in two' planes, and. connections bet-Ween said part and said sipporting surface, movement of said part ,fin ene plane'operating to vary the incidence `of said supporting surface simultaneously .on both sides of its longitudinal axis and inoveinent'of said part in its other plane operating to vary the incidence of said sup.- perting surface on one sideof said axis relatively to that onthe other, and an append- Vsupporting surface and means for Varying the incidence of said supporting surface simultaneously on both sides of the longitudinal axis lliei'eot1 or varying' the ineidence theieof on one side of said axis rela-l tively to that on the other-side, said means comprising a rotatively mounted iod and a cross piece rotatively mounted on said rod, and Connections between the ends of Said cross piece and said supporting' surface, movement oit. said rod operating to Vary the incidence ot said supporting' surface on one side of its longitudinal axis relatively to that on the other, and separate movement of said cross piece operating to vary the incidence of said supporting sui-face siinultaneously on hotli sides of said axis, and an aljipendage in the form of .iiitersecting horizontal and vertical planes.

In witness whereol:` l have hereunto signed my naine this 2nd day of July 190), in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

llitnesses:

MAiienn iiiinnoixiin, J euno, DEAN ld. MAsoN. 

